The 24,000-member National Association of Professional Police, (NAPP) has asked federal Health Minister Anne McLellan to take the lead in cabinet and view the possible legalization of pot as a serious health and social issue.
NAPP President Brian Adkin says the greatest concern Canada’s police have is the potential cost in human lives of marijuana legalization, a substance known to cause cognitive impairment.
‘There are currently no widely-accepted and easily-administered tests available to detect whether someone’s judgement or ability to function has been compromised by marijuana use,’ says Adkin.
‘For those who drink and drive, we have the breathalyser. But there is no way for us to know whether the driver next to you on the road or the pilot flying a plane or someone operating heavy machinery is under the influence of marijuana. There is no way for us to know whether they pose a danger to lives of others,’ he adds.
Adkin also points out that the use the use of marijuana, like the use of tobacco, poses a health risk to those who smoke it. ‘Smoke of any kind, drawn into the lungs, will surely have adverse effects on long-term users. We do not need to add another burden to an already-strained health care system’.”
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